Ammonia-still.



W. H. WRIGHT.

AMMONIA STILL. APPLIOATION FILED AUG.29, 1910.

1, 1 14,843. Patented Oct. 27, 1914.

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W. H. WRIGHT.

AMMONIA STILL.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 29, 1910.

Patented Oct. 27, 1914.

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W. H. WRIGHT.

AMMONIA STILL.

APPLIOATION FILED AUG. 20, 1910.

Patented Oct. 27, 1914.

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fivmg] WILLIAM H. WRIGHT, or DULUTH, MINNESOTA.

AMMONIA-STILL.

Specification of Letters Iatent.

Patented Oct. 2'7, 1914.

Application filed August 29, 1910. Serial No. 579,405.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. WRIGHT, a citizen of the United States, residin at Duluth, in the county of St. Louis and tate of Minnesota, have invented a new and use ful Improvement in Ammonia-Stills, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in ammonia stills, and has forits principal object, the design of a still that is lighter and more easily handled, more convenient and more efficient in every way. I secure these results in a columnar still having few sections with intense vaporizing eflect in each. The liming process is carried on in a separate lime box having two dry-lime feed tanks permitting the continuous use of the lime box. This process includes a preliminary heating and an intense heating. The vaporizing sections of the still are rectangular in form permitting the formation, in each section, of a series of uniform connected canals with the elongated vapor risers forming the walls and passing hot vapor into the liquor uniformly for its entire course. Removable bonnets on the vapor risers and removable sectional overflows, together with convenient hand holes, render the entire interior of the still readily accessible for cleaning ofi' scale or other deposit from the walls. At the same time the uniform flow of liquor-in the canals and its uniform temperature reduces the tendency of the liquid to deposit solid matter in the still. The presence of vapor risers on both sides of the canals for their entire length, together with the uniform flow throughout a section, due to the uniform cross section of the canals, permits a greater, depth of liquor in the sections than has heretofore been possible in the art and thus greatly increases the capacity of the still..

In the accompanying-drawings which form part of my specification, I have illustrated a deviceadapted to the ordinary process of -anrnnonia distilling in which an ammoniacal liquor is heated driving off its volatile ammonia, after which it is treated with lime to break 'down its ammonia compounds and again heated to drive off the resulting ammonia.

In these drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation of a still showing parts in section for greater conduct the overflow thereto.

, clearness; Fig. 2 is a section on the line A A, Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a plan of one of the sections of my still with some of the seal bonnetsremoved or broken away to show the vapornsers; Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional detail on the line BB, Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a section on the line (3-0, Fig. 4.; Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional detail ,on the line D-D, Fig, 3, showing a fragment of the upper floor of the section with portions of the hon not broken away to show its attachment to,

the risers; Fig. 7 is a section on the line E-E,, Fig. 6; Fig. 8 is a section on the line F-F, Fig. 3; Fig. 9 is a side view of the lime hopper shown in F ig. 1; Fig. 10 is a perspective of a detail of my invention showingtwo of the intense heater sections connected with the lime box, both of said sections being partly broken away, to more clearly expose the interior construction thereof, and Fig. 11 is a erspective of a detail showing a portion of one of the intense heater sections.

In the above drawings 2 is a cover section carrying-a trough like distributer 3 of comparatively narrow quadrangular shape with serrated edges 4 fitted to receive ammoniacal liquor through the inlet 5, and having a gas outlet 6 for the passage of ammonia vapors from the still. The cover section fits tightly on the next lower section 7 and is bolted to it. The section 7 carries an upper pan 8 which occupies the entire length of the section having a lateral passageway 9 for gas on either side and is adapted to receive liquor overflowing from the edges 4 of the distribution, The sides of this pan have serrated edges or weirs 10, fromwhich .the liquor overflows into the two lower pans 11 of'the section. These pans occupy the sides of the section and overflow over serrated edges 12 at thev center of the section into the upper pan 8 of the next lower section 13.

The bottom pairs 14 of section 13have a vapor riser 62'and empty into the first-canal 63 of the intense heater sections, 15 to 20 inelusive. The overflow from the edges of the vapor riser 62' is can ht in scuppers 64 con necting with the drain trough 65 which terininates over the canal 63 in segment 15 to The ammoni acal liquor :is first heated in the preliminary heating section 7 and 13 and is more traversed in a reverse. direction by the liquid with eachother at. alternate ends and separated by walls 27 arising from alternate ends of the section. These walls are for the greater portion of their "length, double, forming vapor risers 28 which connect with thespace below the canals. Upon the vapor risers rest elongated-seal bonnets 29 with serrated edges 30 dipping down into the liquor in the canals. Each seal bonnet 29 is held in position by lugs-31 integral with the under side of the bonnet 29 and lying between the walls 32 and 33 of the riser and bya bolt 34: tapped into abridge 35 span nine the riser, and is formed at one end with a saddle shaped extremity 36 fitting upon a boss 37 at the end of the riser. This arrangement gives a perfectly tight end joint and permits the removal of the bonnet through a hand hole without lifting itover the riser, thus allowing more compactwarrangement of the diflerent levels.

The height of the liquid in each series of canals is determined by the height of the overflow 38 which passes the liquid to the level below. This overflow is a removable duct formed in two portions 39 and 40 fastened to the floor 41 of the canal by bolts 42 with the lower extremity of the portion 40 extendingbelow the top of the portion 39 of the next lower section, thus forming a continuous passage for descending liquors, sealed in the liquid of the lower level. The

canals of the lower series are formed in the same manner as those above and are flowing through them, which overflows at the opposite side of the section into the upper series of canals in the section below."

By constructing the overflow in two longitudinal separable .sections forming a duct.

from the lime box B and section 20, which has a lateral outflow 46 provided with a proper seal and forming an outlet from its last canal for the removal of the waste liquor. Section 20 is supported upon a base 47 which receives live steam through a pipe -18 from any suitable source,

The lime box B used in connection with the heater sections consists of a vertical cylinder having a top 49 and a conical hopper bottom 50 with a blow-out valve 51 at its apex. Within the lime box B is'a shaft 52 rotated by suitable power and carrying an agitating paddle 53. The inlet pipe 43 of the lime box connecting with heater section 17 enters the top of the lime box and passes downward to the top of the conical hopper 50 where it empties into the lime box through an aperture 54 opening in the direction in which the contents of the box are agitated by the paddle 53. The return pipe 44: leads from near the top of lime box B to the first canal of the upper series 7 about tangent tothe cylindrical side of said box and is fitted to receive and conduct the agitated liquor from the top of the box.

The inlet pipe 43 is fitted with two drvlime feed hoppers C which are similar in construct-ion and adapted to be used in relays. Each hopperis conical in form, has a cover 55 and locking mechanism 56 at the top and a cut ofl' valve57 at the bottom, shutting ofl the hot vaporsof'the inlet pipe- 43 when desired. At the bottom of the hopper is a worm feed 58 operated by a vertical shaft 59 connecting to any suitable source of power. Midway of this shaft is mounted a circular screen 60 fitting into a circular groove 61 in the wall of the hopperand fitted to pass small particles of lime, but preventing the entrance of large chunks of insoluble lime;

Tn operating the lime box B, both feed hoppers C are filled with unslaked lime.

The cut off valve 57' ofthe hopper C is 57 into the hopper C where they slake the lime and the revolving screen passes slaked l me and small particles or partly slaked l me down into the liquor entering the lime box through-the inlet pipe 54. When the lime in this hopper gives out or the screen 60 becomes clogged, the cut ofi valve ''.57 of the hopper, is closed and. the other feed hopper operated in the same manner, while the first is cleaned and recharged. In this way a hot milk of lime is secured without dilutmg the ammoniacal liquor and with:

out wasting heat by heating the additional liquid commonly used in slaking the lime and a constant feed of lime is secured without additional apparatus. a

In operating the still, the ammonia liquor to be treated enters the still colunm through the inlet 5 in the cover'section 2 falling into the distributing trough 3. As the liquor accumulates, it overflows the sides of the trough in streamlets coming into contact with the warm gases arising fromthe lower part of the still column, and is caught in the upper pan 8 of the first heater section from which it overflows into the lower pans 11 of the first heater section 7 and thence into the upper pan of the second heater section 13, at each overflow coming in contact with hotter gases and in turn giving off its volatile ammonia which rises with the vapors and gases and passes out through the gas outlet 6. From the lower pans 14 of the second heater section, the liquor passes to the canals of the intense heating section 15. Throughout this section and the similar sections below it, the heating of the liquor is accomplished by .passing the heated gases from under the seal bonnets 29 on the vapor risers 28 through the liquor in the adjacent canals 26. The uniformity and intensity of this action is brought about by the narrowness of the canals and their uniform cross, section, causing a continuous flow of the liquor in the canals with hot vapors bubbling through it from both sides. This process continued through three sections of the still, exhausts the volatile ammonia contained in the liquor and residual ammonia compounds are passed to the lime box B where they are thoroughly'mixed with milk of lime from the lime feed hoppers .O. The resulting liquors are returned to the still column A by the return pipe 44 from the top of the lime box B, where they come in contact with the still hotter vapors of the lower sections of the column, in the bottom section 20 coming in contact with live steam from the steam pipe in the column base 47. From the bottom heater section 20, the waste liquor is carried off by an outlet waste pipe 46, having lost all of its available ammonia in the different sections of the still. If any of the sections become clogged with deposits from the-ammonia liquor, they can. be cleaned without taking down the column by means of the hand holes in the ends of the sections. Having removed the hand hole covers 24 from the clogged section, the seal bonnets 29 in the section, may be removed by sliding them out through the hand holes to be cleaned at leisure. The bolts 42 holding the sections of the overflow 38 are loosened and the overflow removed, the entire interior of the section is then clear and accessible to he scraped wi h a chisel bar or cleaned inany suitable manner.

In accordance with the patent statutes I have described the principles of operation of my invention together with the apparatus which I now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof but I desire to have it understood that the construction shown is only illustrative and-that the invention can be carried out by other means and applied to uses other than those above set forth within the scope of the following claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent. is z .1. In an ammonia still, a plurality of heater sections substantially rectangular in shape, a series of superimposed weirs in the upper of said sections, a series of connected canals in the lower of said sections adapted to receive liquor from said series of weirs, elongated longitutdinal vapor risers separatin said canals, vapor riser seal bonnets on said vapor risers, having saddle shaped end seals adapting said bonnets to he slid from said risers by a longitudinal movement, removable overflow ducts in the floors of said canal sections adapted to pass liquor at a certain level from one series of canals to another on a lower level, and hand holes in the walls of said sections, for the purposes set forth.

2. An ammonia distilling apparatus, comrising, in combination, a series of.superimposed segments having weirs adapted to heat ammonia liquor by passing the liquor through heated gases rising therethrough, a lower series of segments having connected liquor canals receiving liquor from said weirs, vapor risers in the walls of said canals, seal bonnets on said vapor risers adapted to pass heated vapors through the liquor in said canals to intensely heat the same, a lime box adapted to treat ammonia liquor with lime, connected to a canal intermediate in said series of canals, and return the liquor to a canal lower in the series, and means for supplying steam to the lowest of said series of segments, whereby-said ammonia liquor may be gradually brought to an intense heat to free it from its volatile ammonia, treated with lime and subjected to a further heating.

3. In an ammonia still, a rectangular heater section having a reversed horizontal canal adapted to a uniform flow of ammonia liquor therein formed by a series of internal walls alternately projecting inward from two opposite outside walls of said section, and lying parallel with the adjacent outside walls, said canal being of sub stantially uniform cross section throughout its entire length and said internal walls being passaged up and down and forming vapor risers above the normal level of liquid maintained in said canal, seal bonnets placed over said risers adapted to" pass vapors through the liquid in. said canal in the successive laps thereof and an overflow duct in the floor of said section for. the liquid in said canal.

a. In an ammonia still, a rectangular heater section having a reversed horizontal canal adapted to a uniform flow of ammonia liquor therein formed by a series of internal walls alternately projecting inward from two opposite outside walls of said section and lying parallel with the adjacent outside walls, said canal being of substantiallyuniform cross section throughout its entire length and said internal walls being passaged up and down and forming vapor risers above the normal head of liquid maintained in said canal, seal bonnets over said risers adapted to pass vapor through the liquidin said canal in successive laps thereof, an overflow duct in the floor of said section for the liquid in said canal, a preliminary heater part associated with said heater section having weirs adapted to pass streamlets of liquid in contact with heated gases and having, an overflow connection leading into said canal, a lime chamber with which said overflow duct in said heater section connects, and a dry lime feed in said lime chamber.

5. In an ammonia still column, a plurality of heater sections substantially rectangular in shape, a series of parallel connected canals in each of said sections formed by dams arising alternately from opposite ends 39' of said section and spaced apart at substantially equal intervals laterally, vapor risers in said dams, and saddle shaped sealbonnets upon said vapor risers adapted to slide longitudinally from said risers, the-walls of said sections having hand openings adapted to the removal of said seal bonnets.

6. lo. a columnar still composed of a series of rectangular heater sections of substantially even depth in which ammonia liquordescends from section to section and heated. vapors are adapted to rise through the successive sections and having hand holes in the sides thereof, an overflow duct connected with the liquor canals for the sectionsand extending above and below the fioor whereby it is adapted to act as a weir above and a seal in the liquor in the canal below, each of said sectionsbeing provided with a plurality of risers extending inwardly from the opposite sides thereof alternately, and connected thereto by ribs and forming with the sides of said section a. continuous canal of uniform cross section substantially throughout its length for the uniform flow of liquor from end to end of said canal, said risers'being formed with elongated passages for said vapor and seal bonnets removably mounted on said risers above said passages and adapted for removal longitudinally through said hand holes, said bonnets being formed with lower serrated edges adapted to direct said vapor flow of liquid, the inlet and outlet weirs of each section being positioned at opposite extremities of said canal to direct the flow of liquid through said canal across said section, part of said walls being an inclosing wall and the remainder intermediate walls joined to said inclosing wall by ribs and being passaged upwardly and lengthwise of said canal to pass vapor upwardly and seal bonnets disposed lengthwise above said intermediate walls and cooperating therewith to direct said vapor across said liquid substantially throughout the entire length of said canal.

8. In an ammonia still, a section having a side wall and a floor, vapor risers in said floor alternately connected with opposite portions of said side wall at substantially even and adapted to direct a flow of liquid across said section and downward through said still, whereby vapors are passed in contact across a uniform stream of liquid substantially. throughout its entire length.

9. A section for an ammonia still, comprisinggin combination, a floor, a surrounding side wall, intermediate riser walls on said fioo-r connected by ribs to said surrounding side wall, the portion of said intermediate walls adjacent said rib connections being passaged up and down for the passage of vapors, said intermediate walls being arranged to cooperate with each other and said surrounding side wall to form a continuous channel of substantially. uniform cross sectional area adapted to the uniform flow of liquid therethrougln-andbonnet s spaced above the upper portions of said riser walls adapted with said passages in said riser walls to pass vapors through said liquid in different parts of said channel and means for conducting said liquid into and out of the opposite ends ofsaid channel.

10. An ammonia still, comprising, in combination, a series of superimposed heater sections having hooded vapor risers therein to heat ammonia liquor, a lime box having a liquid connection withsaid sections intermediate of said series and a feed hopper for dry-lime connected therewith comprising a screen within said hopper, a revolving worm below said screen, and means for passing hot vapors from said lime box into said ho per and feeding slaked lime into said lime ox, whereby dry-lime may be slaked in said hopper by preheated vapors and passed into said lime box, for the purposes set forth.

11. In an ammonia still column, a rectangular segment having side walls and a floor, wing dams on said floor arising alternately from opposite sides of said segment, at substantially equal intervals, whereby a canal is formed having a series of substantially uniform and parallel, connected channels, a weir outlet at one extremity of said canal and an inlet at the other extremity extending below the level of said weir.

12'. In a segmental columnar still, a segment, a vapor riser in said segment, an overflow duct in said segment and detachable therefrom forming a weir, and a detachable duct continuous with said overflow duct extending into the liquid of the next lower segment as a sealed lnlet. thereto, a lime box adapted to receive the hot liquid from said lower segmentand return the liquid thus treated to a third lower segment similar to said first segment, and a dry-lime feed hopper in connection with said lime box and having a connection therewith, whereby drylime in said hopper may be slaked by vapors from said liquid and mixed therewith.

13. In a segmental columnar still, a segment having a floor, a vapor'riser in said segment pro ecting above said floor, an overflow duct section in said segment detachably mounted upon said floor and forming a weir and ,a second duct section extending down wardly from said floor into the liquid of the next lower segment as a sealed inlet thereto and continuous with said overflow duct and means for detachably securing said duct sections to said floor.

14. In a segmental columnar still, a seg ment having a hand opening in its wall and a floor, a vapor riser in said segment extending inwardly from near said opening and projecting above said floor and a saddle shaped seal bonnet supported out of contact with said floor by said riser, said bonnet being removable longitudinally from said riser through said opening.

15. In a segmenta columnar still, a segment having a hand opening in its wall, a vapor riser in said se ent extending inwardly from said opening and formed with a boss at one end, and a saddle shaped seal bonnet supported by and removable longitudinally from said riser, said bonnet being fitted at one en'd over said boss and formed with a lug on the under surface near its other end adapted to fit between the walls of said riser to assist in holding said bonnet on said riser.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM H. WRIGHT.

Witnesses:

W. B. GEToHnLL, N. C. BATLEY. 

